A majestic God
by Tom Brennen
Click here to download your printable verse to carry with you today.
Have you not heard? The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He does not faint or grow weary; his understanding is unsearchable (Isaiah 40:28).
Martin Luther relished writing about this passage. He had no problem reminding himself and his people that our sinfulness had reduced us to a truly pitiful state.
This is a great and mighty text. Just as one little trace is nothing alongside the ocean and a little dust is nothing alongside the heavens, so all human plans are nothing … God himself is so great in righteousness, power, and majesty that compared with his power and majesty ours is nothing. It is like a drop from a bucket and like dust.
One great advantage of those who lived well before us was the amount of time they spent outside. With our air conditioning and heating, our endless entertainment subscriptions and convenient food and drink, it can be hard to recall the majesty of God. But all these things we have created are indeed dust that will be blown away in the end.
Today, this reflection is an encouragement to get outside and into God’s creation as much as you can. Allow yourself to marvel at the intricate nature of a flower, the sun’s warmth on your (sunscreen-protected) skin, the endless differences between the shapes of gum leaves, and the feeling of cool water as you jump into a pool, sea or lake.
The Lord who created all of these things works on a scale so much larger than us and projects of far greater import. My weekend project of painting my bathroom pales into insignificance when compared with creating the heavens or saving all humankind.
But …
Luther also reminds us that we are God’s special creation in whom he takes great delight. This passage offers such lovely encouragement as we consider God’s majesty in his works: ‘God gives power to the faint and strengthens the powerless … they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint.’
What a blessing it is to be a child of God and live in his creation.
Lord, let us often praise your majesty as revealed in your creation. May your Spirit strengthen us for the works you have prepared for us to do. Amen.
Tom Brennen is currently serving as principal of Lakeside College, a Prep to Year 12 Lutheran school located in Pakenham, Victoria. He has served as a missionary in the Middle East and has a passion for bringing Lutheran thinking to issues of social justice. As an educator, he is dedicated to ensuring a transformative Lutheran education is accessible to all families across Australia. Tom holds a Master of Education from Australian Lutheran College, a Graduate Certificate in Educational Leadership from Australian Catholic University and undergraduate degrees in arts, music and education. As an active academic, Tom has written and presented on many diverse topics, such as worship in Christian schools, the interaction between social justice and Lutheran schools, leading staff professional development and cross-cultural schooling.
- Click here to read previous devotions.
- We are also posting them on LCA Facebook, making it easy for you to share them with family and friends.
- Sign up to receive Daily Devotion in your inbox every morning. If you’re already doing that, please encourage others to sign up. Click here for the link.
